Rules of Lobbying

I’ve listed the most useful mental models – rules of thumb – I use in my day to day work. I’ll develop the list over time. 80/20 Principle. 95/5 – Pareto Principle + The Overton Window. The Map is not the Territory. Be a shepherd – safety travel the journey many times. Don’t rely on … Read more

Most lobbyists love to skip the research. There is a natural desire for action.  If you ignore the research, you build your work on shallow foundations. Too many campaigns grind to a halt because they skipped the research. They get the core facts wrong, misunderstand what was driving decision-makers, or do not understand how the … Read more

If you want to influence the policy agenda or legislative text, you need to turn up on time. It is hard to catch the right train if you turn up after it has left the station. A lot of people get angry when they can’t jump onto a moving legislative train. I may be stating … Read more

Karl Rove “Over the years, I’ve seen, more often, that people fail in a campaign because they don’t have a plan, than they do have a plan and don’t execute it. […] I love to run against people who don’t seemingly have a good idea of what they’re trying to do.” Masterclass. The surest way … Read more